Tuesday, 10 January 2012

It's been a few years since the "Crunch" began. I was still employed full time in an office - hating it and had been looking to leave for a while. I'd always peruse the local newspaper for jobs just to keep an eye on what was around. Typically there would be around four pages worth, including the same adverts for cleaners week in week out.

The Crunch hit and all those adverts pretty much vanished. Whether they were simply withdrawn or people suddenly losing their jobs snapped up whatever was available, it's hard to know for sure. But for the first year at least there were practically no jobs advertised in my local paper, maybe an eighth of a page with three or four offerings.

In the past year, I have noticed a distinct increase. Not necessarily every week, but most weeks there is at least a page of job adverts, often two.

Same with job websites. The one I frequent most used to maybe only have a dozen at the very most each day (and that was within a 15 mile radius of my home) yet more recently there are in the region of 150 job adverts going up every weekday.

Lets face it, the recession / crunch / bad economic situation we're in is not going to last forever. I think this is a sign that things are gradually getting better. Some companies are doing really well and expanding, and as always there will be retirements, people moving away (and even the sad event of deaths) and it's not feasible not to replace them. We keep hearing in the news about companies closing and the number of job loses but there are jobs springing up more and more, certainly in my area.

Granted, there are still many individuals applying for these jobs, making it hard to even reach the interview stage, but as more jobs become available and get filled, the number of applicants per job should in theory decrease over time.

Even just looking at the jobs that have been advertised today - a number of apprentice positions (ideal for teenagers no doubt), receptionist, bar staff, bookkeeper, childcare assistant, bricklayer, drivers, electrician, car sales, kitchen assistant, market research, project manager, registered nurse, shop assistant, chef, security guard, warehouse assistant, telemarketing - and that's just a quick browse of titles! There's all sorts of work becoming available in my region so I'm taking this a positive sign that things are improving.

I know we'd all like our dream job but anyone looking to take whatever is available in order to keep a roof over their head and food on the table, then I'm seeing a lot more options out there for them.

I'm still no wiser as to whether my current job is going to continue beyond the next three weeks, but if it doesn't, then I too am finding cause for optimism at the increase in opportunities..